Geelong’s premiership defence is finally gathering steam after crushing Essendon by 77 points in an ominous performance at GMHBA Stadium.
As they often do at Kardinia Park, the Cats ended the contest early after slamming through the opening seven goals of the match to lead by 46 points at quarter-time on Saturday.
Shell-shocked Essendon was able to steady during the second term but it was already too late as the Cats inflicted further pain during the 18.14 (122) to 7.3 (45) triumph.
The result lifts Geelong up to fifth – the highest position it has sat in all season after dropping the opening three matches of its flag defence.
The sight of a rampaging Cats unit will strike fear into the rest of the AFL, after coach Chris Scott during the week declared “they are the danger”.
Scott said it was “probably” Geelong’s best performance of the season.
“I think, we’re in general, getting closer to our best footy, and even from a personal perspe ctive, we were confident going into this week,” he said.
“It feels like we’re getting close to our best footy which we’re pretty confident that’s going to be hard to beat.”
Geelong could still pinch a top-four spot and a double finals chance as they sit just a game-and-a-half behind Melbourne.
It is no coincidence one of the Cats’ most powerful performances came in a match when star forward Jeremy Cameron, Norm Smith medallist Isaac Smith and premiership defender Jake Kolodjashni returned from injury.
Cameron, who missed the previous two games through concussion, spent periods off the ground after being involved in multiple collisions.
The 30-year-old played out the match and waited until the dying stages to kick his first and only goal of the match.
But fellow star Cats forward Tom Hawkins picked up the slack with five goals, four of them in the second-half.
Speedy midfielder Max Holmes had one of the best games of his young career, gathering a career-high 33 disposals – 21 in the first half.
Geelong forward Gryan Miers, in his 100th game, booted the first goal of the match and delivered a memorable celebration after being at the centre of a meme comparing him to soccer legend Lionel Messi this week.
While the Cats pulled out party tricks, Essendon was on the end of their heaviest defeat since losing to Port Adelaide by 84 points in round 22 last season – the match that ended Ben Rutten’s stint as coach.
The Bombers entered the match on a high after smashing Adelaide last week in a performance captain Zach Merrett labelled as the Bombers’ best in his 10 years at the club.
“Clearly we were really disappointed after a good performance last week but it’s just more evidence to me that it’s a really tough competition,” Essendon coach Brad Scott said.
“It’s hard to believe they were sitting in eighth position starting this round, they were clearly the best team we’ve played all year.”
Essendon defender Jayden Laverde (ankle) was substituted out of the match in the third quarter but the Bombers are confident his injury is only minor.
Geelong head to the Gabba next Saturday for a monster clash with the Brisbane Lions, while Essendon will face the Western Bulldogs in a crucial top-eight match at Marvel Stadium on Friday night.
